Split cylindrical housing for suction cleaners



March 23, 394%. c. H. SPARKLIN 2,438,133

SPLIT CYLINDRICAL HOUSING FOR SUCTION CLE ANE IRS Filed Aug. 10, 1944 5Sheets-Sheet 1 J/77067/ZOZ? March 23, M. c, H, SPARKUN 2,438,133

SPLIT CYLINDRICAL HOUSING FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed Aug. 10, 194-4 5Sheets-Sheet 2 March 23,- 1948. C, SPARKUN 2,438,133

SPLIT CVYLINDRICAL HOUSING FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed Aug. 10, 1944 5Sheets-Sheet 3 amh 3, 1948. v

SPLIT CYLINDBICAL HOUSING FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed Aug. 10, 1944 5Sheets-Sheet 4 c. H. SPARKLIN 2,438,133 f Patented Mar. 23, 1948 SPLITCYLINDRICAL HOUSING FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Charles H. Sparklin, Chicago,Ill., assignor to Birtman Electric Company, a corporation of IllinoisApplication August 10, 1944, Serial No. 548,920

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a suction cleaner and more particularly to asuction cleaner of the tank type in which the tank is substantiallycylindrical in outline and is split on a substantially horizontal planeto form upper and lower housing members which abut on that horizontalplane to form an airtight container.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings in which Figure l is a sideelevation of the housing; Figure 2 is a plan view thereof; Figure 3 isan end elevation thereof from one end of the cleaner; Figure 4 is an endelevation of the other end of the cleaner; Figure 5a is a sectionalelevation of the motor end of the housing; Figure 5b is a similar viewof the other end of the housing; Figure 6 is a sectional elevation takenalong the line 66 in Figure 5a; Figure 7 is a similar view taken alongthe line in Figure 5a; Figure 8 is a similar view taken along the line8-8 in Figure 5a; and Figure 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the lowerhousing member illustrating the flow of air from the fan chamber to theexhaust.

The cleaner comprises the housing 20 which is split on the horizontalplane 2! into an upper housing member 22 and a lower housing member 23.The upper housing member is provided with a handle 24. This handle ismade up of a stud 25 which is an integral part of the casting, thehandle proper 26 which is secured to the studs by any appropriatefastening and the arms 21 which are pivotally mounted on the handleproper at 28 as shown in Figure '7. The arms 21 are an integral part ofthe front portion 29 of the upper housing member. This rear portionforms a removable lid which is latched to the lower housing member 23 byany appropriate latching device 30. The lid is provided with an airinlet 3| having an annular groove 32 adapted to engage the ordinaryhose. The lid also carries a dust bag 33 having a substantially rigidneck portion 34 provided with a flange 35 having a resilient annulargasket 36.

The lid is provided with a semi-annular grooved stud 3! within which theflange 35 may be slid from below, when the lid has been raised. The

- lower edge of the flange 35 abuts when the lid is closed against thehorizontal flange 39 of the lower casting, against which it is pressedby the edge 4!] of the lid. It will be observed that in this manner thebag is sealed between the upper and lower housing members in airtightengagement. Furthermore, the bag is automatically removed by lifting ofthe lid which may be accomplished by lifting the latching member 30. The

2 front portion of the housing forms a dust collecting chamber 4| whichcontains the dust bag 33. Adjacent this chamber is a filter chamber 59containing a filter 5! which may consist of a screen 52 having a clothcover 53. This screen is carried in a semi-annular groove 54 in thelower housing member and is pressed against a semiannular plate 55 inthe upper housing member by a semi-annular stud 56 which is an integralpart of the rear upper housing member 29. When the lid 29 is raised, thestud 58 is also raised, thereby freeing the upper portion of the filter.The filter is flexible and may be bent sufiiciently to the rear to graspit and withdraw it from the groove 54. In order to form an airtightconnection, the stud 56 is provided with a groove 51 into which theflange 58'penetrates. Immediately adjacent the flange 58 is asemi-annular groove 55 containing a gasket 60 against which the stud 55presses to seal the filter in the upper half of the housing. Theengagement with the groove 55 is sufliciently tight to seal the lowerhalf of the filter.

Immediately to the rear of the filter chamber 50 there is a fan chamberIn. The split wall 1! between the filter chamber and the fan cham berdefines one side of the fan chamber and is provided with a metal sleeve12 which directs air from the filter chamber into the fan 13. This fancomprises sheet metal walls 14 and 55 between which are mounted aplurality of curved blades which direct the air outwardly as indi catedby the arrows in Figure 5. The fan is driven by the extension 16 of themotor shaft Tl. Behind the wall 15 is a secondary chamber 18 with inwhich are mounted a plurality of stationary blades 78 carried by themetal plate which is mounted by a flange 8| in the split partition wall82. The internal edges of this wall define a circular opening withinwhich the flange 8! is fitted. A second rotary fan likewise carried bythe shaft extension 16 forms the third division of the fan chamber. Thisfan, like the first, comprises a pair of spaced parallel sheet metalwalls 91 and 92 having curved blades 93 whichdirect the air outwardlytoward the wallsof the housing. A fourth sub-compartment 94 of the fanchamber is formed by the sheet metal wall 9| of the fan and the splitpartition walls 95 and 95a. These walls are provided with openings 9?and 98, as shown in Figure 6, through which the air may pass from thefan chamber.

To the rear of the fan chamber is the motor chamber I00 which isdividedinto three compartments, I01, I52 and I I13 by the split partition andIE2.

3 walls I04 and Wm and I05 and I05a. These split walls also provide acircular seat for the field I06 of the motor I'I. The compartment I03 isbounded by the walls I and I05a and the split walls I 08 and I08a. Walls95 and 95a and walls I08 and I08a are each provided with a circularcentral opening between them in each of which one of the bearings of themotor is mounted. These bearings, which are best shown in Figure 5a,comprise an annular gasket IIO mounted in a groove in the collar III.Within the collar is a ball-bearing assembly II2. Corresponding membersin the wall I08 are indicated by IIOa, IIIa and 211. The entire motorand its shaft, except for the shaft I6, is carried between these twobearings. The commutator H5 is immediately adjacent the rear bearingII2a.

openings H1 in the side walls of the housing. Split bafile walls I20 andI20a are provided immediately adjacent and behind the walls I05 and IBMto assist in directing air through the openings I2I and I22 in the WallsI08 and I08a. The air passing out of these openings is confined by thetransverse split walls I25 and I25a shown in Figure 9 and the airisthence exhausted through the louvres I30. Within the walls I25 and I25aare the longitudinal split walls I3I and I3Ia and I32 and I32a leavingopenings I33 and I34, as shown in Figures 9 and -5a. The path of the airis, therefore, through the motor through openings I2I and I22 and thenthrough openings I33 and I 34 to central opening I25 formed betweenwalls I25 and I250. andthence to the louvres.

An auxiliary central opening I40, however, is also provided at the rearof the housing. This opening is normally closed by a split gate MI whichis urged into closed position by springs I42 and I43. When it is desiredto operate the cleaner as a blower, the customary hose connection isinserted in the opening I40 pressing the split gate I II aside and isthen extended through the opening I35, thereby cutting oil? access tothe louvres and directing all of the exhaust air through the hose.

A rib I50 is indicated in Figure 5a supporting the wall 95a.

Suitable means for moving the housing are provided, as for example thewheels I60 which are mounted within the housing in the pockets I6I A lugI63 at the front end of the housing provides a slide or skid, but may,of course, be replaced by a wheel if desired. The upper and lowerhousing members are held together with any suitable fastening means.'Thepreferred means comprises the bolts I10, best shown in Figures 6 and9. These extend from openings in the bottom of the housing upwardlythrough the lower partition walls which are enlarged to form sleeves I12and into threaded bosses I'I3 formed by enlargement of the upperpartition walls. The housing is preferably cast from .a light metal suchas aluminum or magnesium-or their alloys, but may be cast. (molded) froma non-metallic substance such as a plastic..

The foregoing detailed description has been given for cleamess ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom.

What I claim as new and-desireto' secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A suction cleaner comprising a cast housing including a suctionchamber, a motor chamber ,with a motor mounting therein, a .fan chamber,

The commutator brushes I I 6 are inserted through the and a dustcollecting chamber having a mounting for a dust collecting means, saidhousing being split centrally and horizontally into upper and lowerhousing members provided with a plurality of integrally cast transversepartition walls, at least a pair of which define a fan chamber and areadapted for mounting centrally therein a plurality of enclosed fans, atleast one of which rotates and moves air in direct contact with thehousing walls.

2. In a suction cleaner, a cast housing split centrally and horizontallyinto upper and lower housing members and provided with a plurality ofintegrally cast transverse split vertical partition walls three of whichdefine a fan chamber,

each of said three split walls being shaped to define a central opening,the opening in the first of said walls communicating directly with thecentral portion of a centrifugal fan adapted to rotate in a planeparallel to said first wall and directing air against the housing; astationary fan adjacent and parallel to the centrifugal fan and mountedaround the central opening of the second split partition wall on theside next to the first wall, said stationary fan adapted to direct airfrom the housing through the opening in said second wall to the insideof a second centrifugal fan mounted between the second and third splitwalls and parallel to the stationary fan and adapted to rotate in a.plane parallel to the first centrifugal fan and to direct air outwardlyagainst the housing in the area between the second and third splitwalls.

3. A suction cleaner as set forth in claim 2 in which the secondcentrifugal fan is mounted on a hub extending through the centralopening of a third split partition wall.

4. A cleaner as set forth in claim 2 in which a collar is provided inthe central opening of the first partition wall extending within thecentrifugal fan to confine the movement of air through the partitionwall to the centrifugal fan.

5. A cleaner as set forth in claim 2 in which the stationary fan isprovided with the collar extending through the central opening in thesecond partition wall within the second centrifugal fan.

6. In a suction cleaner, 9, cast housing split centrally andhorizontally into upper and lower housing members and provided with aplurality of integrally cast transverse split vertical partition walls,each of said split walls being shaped to define a central opening, theopening in one of said walls ommunicating directly with the centralportion of a centrifugal fan adapted to rotate in a plane parallel tothe wall and directing air against the housing; a stationary fanadjacent the centrifugal fan and mounted in the central opening of asecond split partition wall, said stationary fan adapted to direct airfrom the housing to the inside of a second centrifugal fan adjacent thestationary fan and adapted to rotate in a plane parallel to the firstcentrifugal fan and 'to direct air outwardly against the housing; an

electric motor within the housing having a shaft connectedto each ofsaid rotatable fans, a dust compartment within the housing andcommunicating with'the first of said fans, an inlet to said dustchamber, a dust collector therein communicating with-said inlet, and anair outlet from the housing connected to the dust chamber through thefans.

CHARLES H. SPARKLIN.

(References on following page) i I REFERENCES CETED The followingreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Peterson J an. 5, 1915 BartlettApr. 19, 1921 Townsend Apr. 18, 1933 Burke May 2, 1933 Moran et a1. May9, 1933 Baumann Nov. 3, 1942 Lofgren June 10, 1941 Number Number

